Handel: Piano Concertos op. 4 HWV 289-294 (oryg. koncerty organowe)

Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss, Kirschnereit, Matthias, Skou Larsen, Lavard

CPO 777837

The most astonishing thing about this production is that the idea behind it had never occurred to anybody before. The result is so sensational and unheard-of (in the literal sense of the term) that I am very pleased to have had the idea to entrust Matthias Kirschnereit with this pioneering task. George Frideric Handel's op. 4 was published in London as the »Six Concertos for the Organ and Harpsichord: also for Violins, Hautboys and other instruments.« Although the harpsichord is named in the title, these concertos are regarded as proven organ concertos – certainly because Handel himself performed all of them on the organ as instrumental intermezzi in his oratorios. Since the organ used was a keyboard instrument with one manual but without a pedal unit, the idea to transfer the solo part to today's piano should have been obvious all along. And, behold, so it is: Johann Sebastian Bach's harpsichord concertos quite naturally form part of every world-class pianist's repertoire, and the same rule must apply to Handel. A fascinating new sound world spreads out before us, and, yes, I even am ready to claim that it is only now that the depth and beauty of these concertos can be heard in full! And you can already look forward to the six concertos of op. 7!

SACD x 1

CPO

8/23/13

761203783724